Automatic target trap



Oct. 4, 1932. w. J. su'rcLlFFE AUTOMATIC TARGET TRAP Filed Match 2, 1951.D Nv M, L www. -hi m. @im vl l L kML-WMVA @www i N @Q Jn? m WN QN N@Erg mn @Y WN mf N @ww www .7 QN .N Saw @s ATTORNEY Patented Oct.` 4,1932 WILLIS :LsUToLIrFn or CEDAR HEIGHTS, IOWA AUTOMATIC TARGET TRAPApplication filed March `2, 1931. Serial- 11a-519,602.

My invention relates -to improvements in automatic target traps, and theobject of my improvement is to provide vmechanism for such a trapwhoseinteractions therewith are so correlated Vas to variably change thedirection and scope of movement of the target deliverymeans of thetrapas to preventvany predetermination by amarksman as to either.

This object I have accomplished by the means which are hereinafterdescribed and claimed, and which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan of a target trap set for deliveryof a target and of myv improved operating mechanism as associatedtherewith. Fig. 2 isa side elevation of said trap only, showing certainconnections of. said mechanism therewith, other parts removedor brokenaway. j. Fig. 3 Vis a detail side elevation of parts of thecam-controlled connections to an operating rodfor said trap. i

In target traps now in use,.the slinging action of the trap asV to'scopeand change of direction in flinginga target body is such, that in therespective and successive changes a Certain regularity exists, l wherebyan experienced marksman used to such changes can readilypredeterminesuch changes, giving himan advantage over those who are inexperienced inthis regard, and thus in any event forestalling a fair andunpredetermined scoring in any competition, or even in securing for themarksman himself a real showing and test of his expertness. Y

My device therefore offers to marksmen a means for absolutelyunpredictable tests of marksmanship. 4

VI have shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a well-known target trap, and as4associated with myY improved operating mechanism, butV I do notspecifically claim this make of trap Vwhich is used herei-nforexempliication only, as it will beV understood thatV my improvedoperating mechanism may be associated operatively with other types oftraps, with anyrminor modifications orrchalnges of connections as maybennecessary and not departing from my invention herein. Y f

' Said trap shown in plan in Fig. :1 and in lsideelevation in Fig.` 2,has a base body 3 fixed on an elongated support-1 at one end of thelatter. 'lhisbase 3 has an erect spindle indicated in dotted lines inFig. 2,;On which `isV pivotally 'rockingly mounted, a main frame 13 witha slightlyfinclined integral arm l on whose outer extremity Aisabearing-arm5 and 6 carrying a rockingsegmental gear 7, .and acoiled'tension spring `9 is connected to said gear eccentrically, and atl its other end to the frame 13. A slinger arm 8 vis rigidly secured atone end to said gear, and carries at its opposite end the usual targetcarrier l1 having at one side an engaging seat for a discoidalcomposition tar-2 getlQ, and the carrier has a lateral finger ltnotchedatone longitudinal edge to seat aj detent or catchV 15 on a rockable armdepending and mediallypivoted in a hollowed seat in said frame, asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 for end connection to linking means16, being a sprocket-chain around and in ,mesh with a smallsprocket-wheelk 66 on a shaft 66 in the bearing 5 on which the segmentalgear 7 is fixedv to rotate therewith. llfhe gear-teeth on the gear 7are, however, for a purpose not incidental to this invention. A `lighter`coiled tension spring 10 is connected between the arm 8 and one end ofthe slinger' or target-carrier 11 which is pivoted tothe arm "8,andtends to keep the linger 14 inengagement with the catch detent 15.The chain 16 is carried through a hollovv'in the body 13 and lhas aterminal eye 18 engaged with a loop 17 connected at 19 to a gener-aloperating rod 51 of theusual type, leading to an operating lever of awell-known kind not shown. One one sideface of the rockbody or frame 13is fastened a plate 22fhaving a lateral arm QO'provided withthreeboltholes 21 at varying distances from the frame 13. On theelongatedbase 1is mountedan operating mechanism Ifor saidYV trap 'asfollows.- 1 l Y n The numerals 35 and 54 denote intermeshing gearsrotatably mounted on the basel, the-gear 54C being the smaller.`Abovethe levelfof said gears, and placedV intermediately over theirmeshing teeth'is a fixedl deflector body 55 having at one endaterminally diminished-part 56 with y. an arcuatefouter edge eccentricto the gear circle of the larger gear 35, but overlapping its teeth.

A pawl 52 is yieldably kept in mesh with the teeth of the gear 54 by aspring 53. rlhe gear has thereon an integral eccentric sheave 36provided with an eccentric strap 38, the latter having an arm 38. Thenumeral 39 denotes an elongated U-shaped b-ar whose terminations arepivoted swingingly Y One end of the bar part 49 has an eye sev cured atto the nutconnection 19 tothe operating rod 51. The opposite end of the-part- 49 is threaded to seat an adjusting nut which is betweendownturned apertured parts of the bar part 46, and a coiled spring 48between said nut and one of said downturned parts at 47 allows some freeplay of the member 46 on the part 49. Theother termination of the part46y is apertured and pivoted on the pivot-bolt 41 which is passed *Ydownwardlyfthrough registering longitudinal slots 40 of the U-shaped arm39 to play to and fro therein. The bolt 41 also traverses the end of thearm 39 of the eccentric strap 38.

The numeral 23 denotes an angle-plate fastened on the nutv connection 19of the operating rod 51, and isapertured to pass a rod 24 to slideloosely, a spring 25 on the rod between a terminal adjusting 'nut 26 andsaid angle-plate permitting someplay tothe rod between the nut 26 andYanother adjusting nut 27 on the threads of the rod. The other end ofsaid rod is threaded to receive adjustable spaced nuts 28 and29, and onthe intermediate portion of the rod between said nuts an apertured pawlmember 32 has free but limited play, the other end of the pawl beingpivoted lto the base member 2. A swinging tension spring connectedbetween a block 34 on said base and an 4eye 33'on the pawl is positionedso that it may swing to either side ofthe pawl pivot to be past adeadcenter in either of opposite directions, the pawl detent 31 beingengageable with teeth ofthe gear 35. f ,Y

The numeral 58 denotes a connecting rod pivoted at one end on acrank-pin 59 'of the smaller gear 54, the otherend part of this rod (seeFig. 2)k is passed looselyV through Vapertures in one downturned end ofa bar and a downturned end of a bar 62, the other ends of the Vbars 60and 62 lbeing separated to provide a fork embracing the lateral ypro-1Lesdaee jection 2O of the said side bracket on the trap body 13, thebars 60 and 62'being fastened` sition, the spring 9 under tension.

In order to release thecatch 15 the operating rod is shifted ashortdistance toward the trap, its connection 16 rocking thecatch arm (shownin dotted lines in said Fig. 2), and releasing the finger 14, whereuponthe recoil of the heavy spring 9 on the segment 7, rotates it swiftlytogether with the target holdei` 8 to'iing the target 12 outwardly.

The return and then repeated forward movement of theoperating rod alsoactuates the gears and other elements of the device concurrently, incausing an indeterminable amount ofshifting of the gears, and consequentvariation of the direction of the throw of the target, as related toprevious and subsequent throws thereof.

When the operating rod. 51, after release of the catch 15, is pulledbackthe flanged pawl 42 rides back '0E from the deflector 56 over theteeth of the gear 35 to a distance de-y termin'ed by the position of theeccentric 36 fixed on and rotating 4with the gear 35 in varying the`throw of the arm 39 of the eccentric strap on the pivot bolt 41 andthearm 46 and 49 and rod 51, the pawl then'engagin'g teeth on the gear 35.`The operating rod 5l is then moved forwardly swinging theeccentric-strap arm 42 until the pawl 45 rotates the gear 35 in thedirection of the arrow so that the pawl again rides uponthe delector andislifted out of engagementv with the gear. The attendant at the trap hasreturned the target carrier so that the finger 14 locks Vwith thecatch'15, and another target 12 is placed.

The trap is thus reset for another throw. During the first said reversedmovements of the operating rod 51 and on the said return movement of therod, it will be understood that there is Vno 'rotatory movementof thegears. When the gear 35 is partially then rotated on the ensuinglforward movement of the rod 51 by the pawl42, at the end of such'forward movement, the block`19 and arm 24 in being alsomoved'forw'ardly bring the pawl432 forwardly toengage its detent 31 withteeth of the gear 35, and as-the pawl in this position has swung thespring 30 past its dead center, the pawl-islocked with said gear. v 'Inthis partialfrotation of vthe gear 35 the intermeshed smaller gear 54 isrotated in the direction of the arrow thereon, and the connecting rod 58and 60 rocks the bracket 2O forwardly a distance also determined by theaction ofthe eccentric 36. The rockable body 13 is thus set at adiiierent angular position relative to its fixed supporting base 3 thanon its previous position, as is evident. Then a short further movementof the operating rod 51 repeats the disengaging of the catch 15,releasing the carrier 11 and throwing the Vtarget 12 in a diii'erentdirection from the one previously thrown. As the action of the eccentric36 on the strap 38 and arm 39 thereof constantly varies the length ofthrow of the arms 46 and 49, and in variouslylimiting the rotations ofthe gears, which is due to the varying movements of the arm 39 as theeccentric 36 changes its position relative thereto, it is obvious thatno predetermination is possible of any successive scope of rockingmovements of the body 13 of the trap. Vhen in the return pull on theoperating rod to reset the pawl 42 the rod 24 moving therewith swingsthepawl 32 back, its spring 30 is swung past its dead center in theopposite direction, and the pawl is thus held out of engagement with thegear 35 which may then freely rotate when the next forward swing of thepawl 42 rotates the gears as before stated a relative distancedetermined by the then varied position ofthe eccentric.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. An apparatus of the character described, comprising a target traphaving a movable frame mounted on a relatively fixed base, a releasablylocked resiliently controlled target throwing arm mounted swingingly onvsaid' frame, and mechanism associated' with said trap operable torelease the throwing arm while relatively moving said frame, saidmechanism including intermeshed gears, an eccentric on one gear, a strapthereon and a pawl operably connected to said strap, said pawl movablymounted to engage and rotate the eccentric-carrying gear partially, adeflector member positioned to lift said pawl out of engagement withsaid gear at the end of its stroke, operating means for said' trapconnected to said eccentric strap, and pawl means for releasablyengaging the eccentric carrying gear linked movably to said trapoperating means for locking said gear at times when the rst pawl is idlyreturning to its engaging relation to the gear, the other gear having alinking connection to said movable frame to move the latter when saidthrowing member is released.

2. An attachment for a target trap having a rockable frame, aresiliently controlled target throwing arm thereon and a resilientlycontrolled locking device on. the frame to releasably engage said arm,said' attachment consisting of lneshed gears of different diameters,connecting means eccentrically connected to both said frame and to oneof the gears, the other gearhaving an eccentric fixed thereon, aneccentric-strap on said eccentric having an arm projection, an operatingrod connected to said throwing arm, an adjustable connecting meansconnected between said operating rod and said eccentric-strap arm, adeflector adjacent the eccentric-carrying gear, a resiliently controlledpawl on said eccentric-strap arm adapted at different times to mesh withsaid gear or to ride out of'mesh upon said deflector, and a resilientlycontrolled locking pawl adjustably connected to said operating rod tomesh or unmesh with said eccentric-carrying gear at different stagesv ofmeshing or unmeshing of said eccentricstrap arm pawl with said gear.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIS J. SUTCLIFFE.

